Vent for portable dishwashers



June 1, 1943. J REIFENBERG 7 2,320,888

VENT FOR PORTABLE DISHWASHERS Filed Aug. 2, 1940 WITNESSES: INVENTOR Jafpfi Hi a/ember Patented June 1, 1943 VENT FOR PORTABLE DISHWASHERS Joseph H. Reifenberg, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 2, 1940, Serial No. 349,496

3 Claims.

My invention relates to dishwashing machines and more particularly to a vent for such a structure.

In dishwashing machines known in the art, the cover or door structur for the inner washing vessel thereof makes a seal therewith so as to normally prevent any passage of air or moisture through or past such seal. However, in portable washing machines the cover is of a necessity so light that the normal inrush of washing fluid would cause such cover to be lifted permitting the escape of such washing fluid. This feature presents a serious problem; namely, that of permitting the rapid exit of the air within the washing vessel as the washing fluid is admitted to such vessel, and then to prevent the escape of any washing fluid during the normal washing action of the washing machine.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a valving or vent structure for a portable dishwashing machine which will permit the exit of air or the like within the washing vessel as the washing fluid is placed therein and which will prevent the escape of moisture or the associated spray or mist within the vessel as such washing machine is being operated.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive easily cleanable venting structure which will permit the ready passage of air therethrough but which will prevent the passage of washing fluid therethrough during the normal operation of the washing machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide a vent structure for a dishwashing machine which may be easily removed from and attached to, say, the door or cover of such machine to permit such structure to be easily cleaned.

Other objects of my invention will either be pointed out specifically in the course of the following description of a device embodying my invention, or will be apparent from such description.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, of a dishwashing machine having a vent structure embodying my invention associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating the vent structure embodying my invention,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a partial top View of the device embodying my invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters indicate like parts in the several figures, I show a dishwasher structur IE] having an inner washing vessel l2 and a cover or lid It therefore, and a vent structure l6 associated with the cover M which comprises a cover or guard member it, a spacer spider member 2%, an elongated bolt 22 attached to the cover I 8 and spider 2i), an elongated hollow member 21 and a Wing nut 26 adapted to be positioned upon the bolt 22 for removably attaching the vent structure It to the dishwasher cover l l.

The dishwasher structure to illustrated in the accompanying drawing is, in this instance, a portable structure having a removabl cover it positioned upon the top thereof. However, it is to be understood that any other suitable dishwasher structure having either a hinged door or removable cover associated therewith is within the purview of the present invention.

It will be observed that the dishwasher structure Ill in which the inner vessel i2 is located has a suitable sealing gasket or the like 28 located about the upper edge thereof, and that the cover [4 has a complementary or corresponding flexible sealing gasket 39 located about the periphery thereof to engage with the sealing member 28 of the vessel I2. In addition, it will be noted that the sealing member 36 attached to the cover it is adapted to fit tightly against the inner surface of the inner or washing vessel I2 of the dishwashing structure Hi. It is therefore obvious that the sealing arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 is adapted to seal the vessel 52 and prevent the passag of air or moisture therethrough when the cover It is positioned upon the vessel 2.

The sealing mechanism and structure associated therewith is more clearly described and claimed in a copending application of J. H. Reifenberg, Serial No. 25,807, filed November 22, 1938, and assigned to the assignee of this application.

The vent structure I ii is, in this instance, positioned within a depressed portion 32 in the removable cover M (see Figs, 1 and 2), and has the cover or exterior member or hood i8 located within the depressed portion 32. The exterior member or hood [8 is, in this instance, substantially an inverted cup or saucer-shaped member which is spaced from the cover it by means of the spacer spider 2B. The exterior cover member I8 is rigidly attached to the top portion of the spacer member 28, say, by welding thereto as shown at 34 in Fig. 2. Th spider 26 comprises in this instance an upper substantially flat circular member 2! having a plurality (four in this case) of depending legs 36 which are of such length as to support the exterior saucer-shaped member l8 a predetermined distance above the lower portion of the depressed portion 32 of cover l4, it being obvious that the length of the depending portions 36 of spider member 20 may be of any desired value depending upon the desired location of the cover member [8.

The depending legs 36 are diametrically spaced from each other about a circle having a diameter greater than the aperture 42 in cover l4. This permits the upper portion of hollow member 24' to fit within such legs, thus centering them, the attached cover l8 and bolt-like member 22, as hereinafter more fully described.

The elongated bolt-like member 22 is positioned substantially coaxially with the exterior member l8 and spider member 20 and is rigidly attached to, say, the lower surface of the flat circular member 2| of member 20, so as to be substantially normal to the upper or circular portion of such member. The: bolt-like member 22 is in this instance, rigidly attached to the spacer member 29, say, by having its upper head or enlarged member welded thereto (see 38 in Fig. 2). The bolt 22 is adapted to extend downwardly from the spider 20 and cover member I8 a predetermined distance depending upon the length of the hollow member 24, as hereinafter described.

The hollow member 24 is, in this instance, a

the cooperating cover member [8 so as to prevent any washing spray or moisture from passing therethrough.

This spray or moisture, which my vent structure must prevent from escaping from the inner washing vessel during the normal operation of the dishwasher, is forced upwardly in the usual manner by an impeller (not shown) located at the bottom of the inner vessel. A portion of such spray is deflected from, say, dishes, or the like, located within the vessel or from the side walls of such vessel, upwardly toward the vent structure from every possible angle, as will be understood. The length of such hollow member in cooperation with the cover member It! must therefore be suflioient to prevent any of this moisture or spray associated with the washing action of the dishwasher from being blown or forced out through the vent structure 16.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the inverted hollow or saucer-shaped member it, when cooperating with the hollow member 24 functions as an additional battle for preventing the escape of washing fluid from the dishwater structure. In'other words, if any moisture should be blown or forced upwardly through the hollow member 24, such moisture would strike the inner or lower surface of the cover member 18 and be deflected downwardly towards the hollow or depressed portion 32 in the cover member [4. This moisture would then run back into the dishwasher structure between the legs 36 of spider 20 and through the hollow member 24, in a well known manner.

It is therefore obvious that any desirable size or shape of the member 24 may be used, provided such member, in combination with the cover I8, be adapted to prevent the passage of moisture through such vent structure, and that such structure permit the ready passage of air therethrough.

A ring or protruding bead 40 is located about the upper portion of the hollow member 24 and is rigidly attached thereto or is formed integral therewith. The bead portion 40 is positioned downwardly from the upper edge of the hollow member a distance sufficient to permit such hollow member to pass through and tightly fit the aperture 42 in the depressed portion 32 of cover l4. A depending substantially U-shaped bracket 44 is rigidly attached to the lower edge or portion of the hollow member 24. In this instance the upper ends of the bracket 44 are rigidly attached to the inner surface of the hollow member 24, say, by welding thereto. An aperture 46 is positioned within the lower bracket 44 to receive or permit the passage of the bolt 22 therethrough (see Figs. 2 and 3).

When assembling the vent structure 16 embodying my invention, the saucer-shaped exterior member 18, spacer spider member 20 and bolt 22 are rigidly attached together, as previously described, to form a functionally integral structure. The hollow member 24 and bracket 44 are likewise rigidly attached together as a separate structure with the bead 40 either being formed integrally with the member 24 or being attached thereto. The corresponding aperture 42 is cut or formed within the cover I4 to permit thepassage of and closely fit the upper end of the hollow member through the cover l4. However, the fiange 40 prevents the member 24 from being pushed through the cover l4.

When attaching the vent structure to the cover l4, the hollow member 24 and bracket 44 are positioned beneath the cover with the upper portion of the member 24 passing therethrough. .The exterior member l8 and spider 20 are located on the outer surface of the cover [4 with the bolt 22 passing down through the hollow member 24 r and through the U-shaped bracket 44. The depending legs 36 of spider member 20 are thus located about the upper edge of the hollow member 24 while the wing nut 26 is threaded upon the lower end of the bolt 22. Upon tightening the nut 26 against the lower portion of the U- shaped bracket 44, it is obvious that the hollow member 24 and exterior bracket member 20 are rigidly attached to or bound tightly against the cover l4, so as to form a rigid assembly therewith.

. having a covering with an aperture therein and sealing structure comprising an inverted cupshaped guard member, a spider-like spacer member attached to the under surface of the guard member, an elongated bolt-like member attached to the guard member substantially coaxially with the spacer member, an elongated hollow breather member, a U-shaped bracket attached to the lower end of the breather member, said guard and spacer member being positioned on the outer surface of the covering structure substantially in line with the aperture in said covering with the bolt-like member passing through the aperture, said hollow breather member being positioned against the inner surface of the covering structure substantially in line with the aperture in said covering and co-axially with the bolt-like structure which passes through the U-shaped bracket, and a nut-like member movably positioned upon the lower end of the bolt-like member for rigidly and removably attaching the vent structure to the dishwasher cover structure, whereby said hollow breather member and aperture permit the passage of air through the cover.

2. In a dishwasher having a washing vessel with an opening therein and a cover for such opening for preventing the escape of Washing fluid from the vessel during the normal operation of the dishwasher, said cover having a depressed portion with an aperture therein, the combination of a vent structure attached to the cover substantially in line with said aperture for permitting the passage of air therethrough comprising, an exterior guard member of inverted saucer shape having its lower edges occupying a position within said depressed portion, a spacer member disposed in said depressed portion for retaining the guard member lower edges in said position, and substantially in line with said aperture, an inwardly extending hollow member of a length which tends to prevent the washing fluid from escaping therethrough, and means attached to the guard and passing through the depressed portion, aperture and hollow member for removably attaching the vent structure to the cover substantially in line with the aperture therein, said guard member cooperating with the hollow member to prevent the washing fluid from escaping from the washing vessel while permitting the passage of air therethrough.

3. A vent structure for a dishwasher having a cover provided with a depressed portion with an aperture therein, comprising a guard member of inverted saucer shape having its lower edges occupying a position within said depressed portion, said guard member being disposed substantially in line with the aperture, means disposed" in said depressed portion for retaining said guard member lower edges in said position, an elongated hollow member positioned below said cover and substantially in line with the aperture, an outwardly extending boss on said hollow member relatively near its upper end, and means passing through the depressed portion, aperture and hollow member for connecting the guard and hollow member to the cover, said boss on the hollow member engaging the cover adjacent the aperture therein for limiting the movement 01 said hollow member.

JOSEPH H. REIFENBERG, 

